


Nightfall

by ValkyrieIsabella



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2019-01-03 18:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12152115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValkyrieIsabella/pseuds/ValkyrieIsabella
Summary: October has finally talked Reyes into staying with her on the Tempest for a while, but she doesn’t expect things to hit her so suddenly. Reyes reassures her of everything- with lots of kisses and encouraging words, of course.





	Nightfall

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a sucker for Reyes Vidal. I'm not even going to lie. I'm still trying to write his character right, though.
> 
> This is a cross-post from my Tumblr.

Reyes woke up in October’s bed, alone. He stretched an arm out and noticed that the side October slept on was messy and cold, making him quirk an eyebrow up. Reyes sat up slowly before surveying the room- he took in the darkened corners and the soft glow from the SAM node in the corner, the light reaching just to October’s small table and the front of her couch.

Reyes yawned before his eyes finally fell on October, who stood just feet from him with her blue hair out of its usual ponytail and in a cropped tank top and loose, comfortable pants, staring out at the stars.

“Did I wake you, Reyes?” October’s voice was soft, barely reaching Reyes’ ears.

“No. I woke up on my own, love- I sleep like a dead man. You should know not to worry about waking me.” Reyes said and smiled- which quickly turned to a frown when October didn’t smile.

The stars cast a gentle glow against her as she stared out her window, hands gripping the railing in front of the window tightly.

“Toby? What’s wrong?” Reyes asked and stood up, not bothering to adjust the pants he had been sleeping in as they rested low on his hips.

“I can’t sleep. The nights are… Just so rough for me.” October whispered, turning to look at Reyes as he walked to her.

“What makes them so bad, love?” Reyes questioned, walking towards October and ghosting his hand against her exposed skin, just to let her know that he was close to her.

October sighed as her eyes closed, moving one hand to run it through her hair.

“I think too much when it’s night. I remember all my failures, how I lost my dad. How I almost died with him. All the times I couldn’t get to someone soon enough, and they died because of it. The people I couldn’t help.” October then said, Reyes wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him; her back against his chest, hands resting against her stomach.

A deep breath, followed by soft kisses pressed to October’s exposed shoulder.

“You are the farthest thing from a failure. You, my love, are the Pathfinder. The one chosen to find the humans of Andromeda a home. You are a warrior- you can send a fully grown krogan flying through a ceiling.”

“The failures… That’s not what hits the hardest though, Reyes. What hits hard is… Death is unavoidable. How many people died because I messed up? Why did dad save me? Why didn’t he wait for Eli to wake up before planetfall, and he make Eli be Pathfinder? Why… Why didn’t I die that day?” October whispered, leaning back against Reyes more before sighing.

Reyes took this moment to move one hand to softly grab October’s chin, tilting her head up just so he could press gentle kisses along her cheek, stopping at her scar.

“You were destined for this. You were meant to be standing here now. A strong, fearless leader. You didn’t die that day for reasons we do not know, Toby. Maybe it was a higher power, or maybe your own stubbornness that kept you alive.” Reyes’ voice was soft as he rested his forehead against October’s temple, eyes closing as he pulled October closer to him.

“Fearless is a stretch. Strong… Only sometimes. I try, Reyes. I try so hard. I guess it just… I realize that I’m just a 23 year old sometimes. I can’t do ‘normal’ things. I have people relying on me… People looking to me for guidance. I have every human life on my shoulders. Yours, my brother’s, my little nephew’s. Every future child born in Andromeda. Everyone in Cryo, everyone on the Nexus. All it would take is one fuck up, and-”

“October.”

October stopped talking at hearing her full name leave Reyes’ lips, tilting her head slightly so her eyes could meet his.

“Reyes?”

“Stop doubting yourself so much, love. You have worked hard and you are doing fantastically. I am proud of you. You… Are special, October. If to no one else, then to me. I treasure you greatly. I cannot believe what you have accomplished in Heleus. When you doubt yourself, remember this… You, had first contact with the angara. You have faced the Archon, on his own ship. You have settled planets, and journeyed to places that no one in the Milky Way could have even dreamed.”

Reyes moved back, one hand finding October’s as he turned her around to face him. Reyes noticed for the first time that October’s eyes were glassy, tears threatening to fall as she quickly looked away from him.

“Sorry, Reyes… I just-”

“Don’t apologize, Toby. Not for this.” Reyes said, stepping closer to October before one hand moved to rest on the back of her head, a kiss being pressed to her forehead first. Reyes trailed his lips from October’s forehead to the bridge and tip of her nose, to just above her lips and to her chin before he pressed his lips softly to hers.

October took this chance to wrap her arms tight around Reyes, breaking the kiss to rest her head against his chest.

“I swear, my shortcomings aren’t why I wanted you to stay with me, Reyes. I…”

“Hush.” Reyes said quietly, resting his forehead against hers briefly before pulling away from her. “Let’s get back into bed, yes? You can keep talking, Toby- I am more than willing to listen. Especially if it will make you feel any better.”

October only nodded and wiped at her eyes, hand finding Reyes’ as the two of them walked back to her bed. October was the first to lie down, getting comfortable and watching Reyes as she waited for him to join her. Reyes couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips as he watched October, quickly taking the spot beside her.

October’s hand found Reyes’ own as she laid her head on his chest, exhaling deeply before looking back at him.

“Thank you, Reyes.” October then said, her arm stretching across his stomach as she got comfortable again.

“Mm? For what?”

“For… Not thinking I’m weak. At least, not telling me I am. I usually don’t open up to anyone- maybe my brothers and sometimes Vetra, but… Not like this.”

“Because you have put a trust in me, Toby. A trust that I will not break. I may be a shady bastard, but I’d never break that trust- or, realize that my own trust in you is displaced. You could be perched with you sniper 300 meters away from me, and I have my back turned- I would still trust you to hit our target. So if trust makes one weak, then… I must be weak, as well.”

October finally smiled at this, sitting up so she could kiss Reyes.

“I love you, Reyes.”

“And I love you, October. Now… Let’s get back to sleep.”


End file.
